1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a washing machine, and more particularly to a filter for a washing machine for filtering foreign matters such as fluff from washing water.
2. Description of the Prior Art
FIG. 1 illustrates a conventional washing machine. Referring to FIG. 1, in the conventional washing machine, a washing tub 120 is suspended by a suspension 130 into inside of a case 110.
A dehydrating tub 170 and a pulsator (or an agitator; hereinafter refer to "a pulsator") 180 selectively driven by a clutch assembly 160 which is connected to a motor 150 by means of a belt 140, are disposed in the inner side of washing tub 120.
An impeller 182 as a pump is integrally formed to the lower side of pulsator 180, and a filter 190 is provided around the upper end of dehydrating tub 170. A guide portion 172 for guiding the washing water pumped by impeller 182 toward filter 190 is formed between impeller 182 and filter 190.
In the washing machine constructed as above, once pulsator 180 is rotated by motor 150 and clutch assembly 160 during a washing or rinsing cycle, the washing water pumped by impeller 182 at the lower portion of pulsator 180 is guided to filter 190 along guide portion 172 to be dropped into the interior of dehydrating tub 170 via filter 190. During this process, foreign matters intermingled in the washing water are filtered by filter 190.
However, according to the conventional washing machine constructed as above, filter 190 is arranged around the upper end of dehydrating tub 170. For this reason, when a small amount of articles is washed in a small quantity of cleaning water, the washing water cannot reach filter 190. That is, the foreign matters intermingled in the washing water cannot be sufficiently filtered by filter 190 to lower washing efficiency.
FIGS. 2 to 4B show another filter for a washing machine proposed to overcome the above described problems as a example.
As illustrated, the filter for a washing machine is attached to the inner lower portion of dehydrating tub 170, which includes a filter case 300 and a pocket type filter 200 for filtering fluff by being inserted into filter case 300.
Filter case 300 is attached to the inner lower portion of dehydrating tub 170 to form a predetermined space with dehydrating tub 170, which includes an attachment portion 310 for attaching itself onto dehydrating tub 170, a front plane portion 320 formed with a plurality of discharging holes 322 and inserting guide portions 330 formed to both rear sides of front plane portion 320 while having the upper portion opened.
Pocket type filter 200 includes a front panel 210, a rear panel 230 and a check valve 250. Front panel 210 and rear panel 230 are coupled to be opened/closed by a hinge shaft 232 formed to rear panel 230, and attached with mesh nets 220 and 240 for filtering the fluff. Check valve 250, for opening/closing the space between front panel 210 and rear panel 230, is fixed to the lower side of rear panel 230 and made of a material such as a rubber.
Pocket type filter 200 as described above is inserted into the interior of the space between filter case 300 and dehydrating tub 170 by being slidably moved along inserting guide portions 330 from the upper portion of inserting guide portions 330 of filter case 300.
According to the filter as described above, the washing water pumped by impeller 182 flows into pocket type filter 200 via the space between dehydrating tub 170 and filter case 300 during the washing or rinsing cycle. Check valve 250 is upwardly pushed away by means of the washing water thereby the washing water is introduced into the interior of pocket type filter 200.
The washing water introduced into inside of pocket type filter 200 is discharged into 10 dehydrating tub 170 via mesh nets 220 and 240 of front panel 210 and rear panel 230. At this time, the fluff within the washing water is filtered by mesh nets 220 and 240 attached to the front panel 210 and rear panel 230. Also, the washing water exhausted out of pocket type filter 200 is discharged into the interior of dehydrating tub 170 via discharging holes 322 formed in front plane portion 320 of filter case 300.
Under the state that the rotation of a pulsator is stopped after completing the washing or rinsing cycle, check valve 250 returns to its original position by means of gravity. Consequently, the filtered fluff is accumulated into the interior of pocket type filter 200 without getting away from pocket type filter 200.
The fluff accumulated on the interior of pocket type filter 200 is closely attached toward rear panel 230 due to a centrifugal force exerting upon the fluff by dehydrating tub 170 which is rotated at high speed during a dehydrating cycle. By doing so, the washing water pumped by impeller 182 can be easily introduced into pocket type filter 200 during the initial period of the next washing or rinsing cycle.
Filter case 300 is attached to the inner lower portion of a dehydrating tub 170 to form a predetermined space with dehydrating tub 170, which includes an attachment portion 310 for attaching itself onto dehydrating tub 170, a front plane portion 320 formed with a plurality of discharging holes 322 and inserting guide portions 330 formed to both rear sides of front plane portion 320 while having the upper portion opened.
However, according to the other filter for a washing machine constructed as described above, since an upper end 210a of front panel 210 of pocket type filter 200, as shown in an enlarged portion of FIG. 4, is formed sharp, the laundry flowed within dehydrating tub 170 is often damaged by the upper end 210a of front panel 210 during the washing and rinsing cycles.